1. Field of Invention
This invention pertains to a lockable pet door. More particularly, this invention pertains to a pet door having a lock mechanism to restrict ingress and egress through the pet door as desired by the pet owner.
2. Description of the Related Art
A pet door allows a pet to independently enter and exit a structure. A standard pet door is installed in an opening cut into a structural member, such as a door or wall. It is desirable for a pet door to provide the owner the ability to restrict ingress and/or egress.
Various lock mechanisms have been utilized to secure a pet door. For example, one commonly used locking mechanism involves lock control, typically a knob or slide, located below the pet door opening which moves a series of tabs into engagement with a flap to block movement in a desired direction. Such an arrangement requires careful attention to ensure that the flap is locked so that travel is restricted in the desired direction. Further, due to the placement of the lock control, it is not easily accessible. The low placement of the lock control presents a hardship for pet owners with limited mobility or disabilities. The low placement of the lock controls subjects them to unintended manipulation, such as by incidental contact with the pet as the pet passes through the portal. This can result in the pet accidentally locking the pet door.
Another commonly utilized locking mechanism is a latch which is released by a magnetic key. However, such a lock mechanism requires pet owners to provide a key to each animal. If the key is lost, such as when the collar becomes snagged and breaks, then the pet can not access the pet door. Further, the latch mechanism requires further intelligence or a separate manual control, if directional control is desired in addition to key carrier control.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a pet door with a locking mechanism to restrict ingress and egress and for that locking mechanism to be less susceptible to unintended actuation by a pet and more convenient for the pet owner to operate.